It’s time for one of our irregular round-ups of cool new moto gear, and this time we’ve got stuff to sniff as well as stuff to wear. Plus a revolutionary new iPad app that could sharpen your eyesight and make you a better (and safer) rider. Grab a coffee and put your credit card somewhere safe before you read on.
ICON 1000 Spring Collection If you’re looking for a vintage vibe mixed with modern technology, Icon 1000 has you covered. The Portland company has just released a batch of new gear for 2014, mixing funky graphics with classic lines and a heavy dose of concealed protection. Heading the new collection is the $300 Vigilante Dropout Jacket with full grain leather sleeves, a Herringbone textile chassis, and D3O shoulder, elbow, and back protectors as standard. It’s matched to the $230 Rouser jeans, which feature Kevlar interwoven with denim—to create reinforced pants without the weight or comfort disadvantages of internal liners. Head over to the Icon 1000 site to see the complete range.
Union Garage NYC tool roll Union Garage modeled this tool roll after the factory kit that came with BMW’s boxer twins produced until the mid-90s. It suits virtually all vintage European and metric bikes, and fits under the seat of most. You get German-made Heyco open-end wrenches and screwdrivers, Leatherman folding pliers and heavy-duty Bondhus allen keys. There’s also a sparkplug wrench, a tire pressure gauge, an LED torch, a pair of 8-inch tire levers, chrome vanadium sockets, Torx bits … you get the message. Add up the cost of all the components, and it’s starting to look like a bargain. Yours for $275.00 from Union Garage NYC.
Two Stroke motorcycle candle If you’ve been tempted to trickle a little Castrol R into an essential oil burner, stop right now and get the Two Stroke candle from Flying Tiger. It’s incredible no one has thought of this before, and the candles are selling like hot cakes. Inside the $20 jar is a healthy slug of Blendzall Racing castor two-stroke oil, emitting a high-octane fragrance worthy of a 1970s race bike warming up on the grid. [Buy]
Rokker Red Selvedge motorcycle jeans Most motorcycle jeans are several generations behind current fashion in the style stakes. Which is fine if you’re happy to look like an Eastern European tourist from 1984, but some of us prefer to live in the 21st century. Rokker is one of several companies moving into the style-conscious motorcycle jeans market, using layers of Schoeller-Dynatec fabric for abrasion resistance. As an added bonus, the fabric is also water-repellent and wind-resistant. The Red Selvedge jeans have a lower rise than usual, and are a slim fit. The fit means they don’t come with armor, but they’re miles better than a tatty old pair of 501s for popping down to the shops. Not cheap at $499 but you get a smart wooden presentation box and a complimentary t-shirt. [Buy]
Ultimeyes vision app Anyone who rides will know that good eyesight is critical—not just for scanning the road ahead, but also for spotting sudden dangers like potholes, manhole covers and police radar. Ultimeyes is an iPad app developed by a University of California neuroscientist, and uses simple interactive ‘games’ to help you see better. It was tested on baseball players, and resulted in some players getting remarkable 20/7.5 vision—meaning that they could discern objects at 20 feet with the same detail that the average person sees at 7.5 feet. The app doesn’t actually change the physiology of your eyes, but trains your brain to process incoming data much more efficiently. Best of all, it’s just $5.99 on iTunes. Head over to the Ultimeyes website for more details.
Our previous gear guide covered new helmets, goggles, pants and the remarkable Powerall battery pack.